The Kremlin has indicated that President Vladimir Putin is prepared to engage in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, provided there is mutual political will. This statement comes amidst ongoing efforts to find a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, stated on Saturday that Putin views the prospect of talks with Macron positively, “if there is mutual political will.” His comments followed remarks made by Macron in Brussels on Friday, after a European Union summit where an agreement was reached to provide Ukraine with a substantial loan.
President Macron told reporters that he believes renewed dialogue with Putin would be beneficial. He also noted that other parties, specifically mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump, have resumed communication with the Russian leader. “We Europeans and Ukrainians have an interest in finding a framework to re-engage effectively in this discussion, otherwise we will only be talking amongst ourselves,” Macron stated, adding that relying solely on negotiators speaking with the Russians is not an optimal situation.
Trump’s envoys are reportedly holding separate talks with Moscow, as well as with Ukrainian and European representatives, in an effort to broker an agreement regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Currently, Ukrainian, European, and American negotiators are in Miami, Florida, for talks mediated by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev has also been present in Miami since Saturday.
The renewed diplomatic activity comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the United States to exert greater pressure on Russia to end the war. These parallel efforts highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of the ongoing attempts to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine.
